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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524349">don’t wake me, i’m not dreaming</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/onetruethree/pseuds/onetruethree'>onetruethree</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fate &amp; Destiny, Ghosts, M/M, Zukaang Week 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:34:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,384</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524349</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/onetruethree/pseuds/onetruethree</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Something 100 years in the past has changed, and it takes Zuko seeing the ghost of a boy he was supposed to know for him to realize anything was wrong.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Zukaang Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>don’t wake me, i’m not dreaming</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Zukaang Week 2020, Day 6: Ghost</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zuko was a difficult kid sometimes, of course, but nothing out of the ordinary. He got along fine with the other kids in the fire nation, especially his sister, although it took a bit of convincing. When his mom died before he really got the chance to know her, he started to get quieter, and didn't tend to fight back anymore. His sister was the more vocal one, always wanting to play with him, and encouraging him to be more outgoing; he was in line to be the Fire Lord, after all. </p>
<p>As a kid, he was fully on track to becoming the Fire Lord, and nothing was out of the ordinary. He watched his father lead, and even before he was 10 he could see his future laid out in front of him. </p>
<p>That was, until something came along to shake everything up. </p>
<p>He first saw Aang by the fountain, when he was supposed to be playing with his younger sister and her friends. The young boy about his age sat on the edge of the fountain, and had bright blue arrows visible along his head and arms. He was an odd looking kid, especially for the prince, who had rarely seen kids his own age outside his family. Odder still was the feeling that he should know this kid, or even a feeling that he did know him. Even without a word from the kid’s mouth, he knew his name was Aang. He joined him on the side of the fountain. </p>
<p>“Zuko,” Aang said. So they both knew each other, then. “I’ve missed you.” </p>
<p>Zuko hummed in response. He didn't know this person enough to miss him, but there was a strange sting in the pit of his stomach. Maybe he just didn't know to miss someone enough to know if that was what he was feeling. “How do I know you?” </p>
<p>“You don’t really know me yet. But you should. Something went wrong, all those years ago.” </p>
<p>That didn't clear much up for Zuko, but the boy was gone before he could ask any more. He wasn’t aware it was possible to disappear from thin air like that, but he didn't tell his father or even Azula about it. He was worried they wouldn’t believe him, or worse yet, if they began to think he wasn’t fit to be Fire Lord. </p>
<p>Aang showed up every so often afterwards, but only flashing in and out of existence, not real for long enough to communicate, as if he was struggling to stay visible.</p>
<p>Zuko was well into his teens when he fully realized what being Fire Lord truly meant. He trained to be a fierce firebender, and his rage led him to harness his firebending unlike any other; completely inhibited enough to burn blue. </p>
<p>He rarely had questions about his lineage. The only members of his family he knew were just his father and sister, after all. </p>
<p>Zuko knew he would be the most powerful Fire Lord of all time, honored by all. </p>
<p>Then, one day, he got a letter. A simple scroll that detailed that he needed to find out the truth about his great grandfather. He was inclined to just throw it away on the spot, but he had a feeling it was more important than it seemed. He crumpled it up and shoved it in a drawer. It wasn’t something fit for a prince to be seen possessing. </p>
<p>He woke up when it was still dark, his head swirling with worry, and had an urge to get the scroll back in his hands so he could read it again. </p>
<p>It had little meaning as it stood, but he was still curious. He conjured fire to light it up, and sure enough the letter now read something completely different, and this time it was leading him to a place he had never visited. He knew it held many secrets, though, so he made his way over. Somehow, he instinctively knew how to open it, and he quickly descended down the steps before he could get caught. </p>
<p>He found the letter from his great grandfather detailing what had gone on years ago. He and Roku had grown up as friends, both destined for greatness; one the Fire Lord, and one the Avatar. Zuko was already a bit surprised. He had always believed somewhat that the Avatar was a myth. He kept reading, though, and if he were to believe Sozin, the Avatar was real. </p>
<p>Was. </p>
<p>Sozin wrote about the volcano, about Roku saving him, and Sozin returning the favor. He didn't leave out their disagreements, either; Roku was against Sozin’s plan to colonize the other nations, but Zuko was already aware of how that turned out. After the eruption, though, mentions of Roku were few. It was eerie how Sozin wrote about his friend, and then Zuko read a sentence that chilled him to the bones. </p>
<p>“I ended up saving Roku so I could stop the Avatar cycle. With his help, and now with the threat of the Avatar gone, we were able to effectively colonize every corner of the world.” </p>
<p>Zuko knew that much-- by the time he was grown enough to understand what it meant, the fire kingdom would have complete control over every continent. He never thought about how this had happened, though. He had always assumed, but he never wanted to think it over. </p>
<p>The same boy he remembered from years ago was in front of him now, but it seemed like he had aged with the years. </p>
<p>He reached out to touch Zuko's hand, and surprisingly, he could feel it. "You're real? You're not a figment of my imagination?"</p>
<p>"Well, not exactly. But I'm real enough." Aang dragged Zuko to his feet. "Let's go." He dragged him upstairs, avoiding guards until they got to a statue. This statue had been there ever since Zuko could remember, but he barely noticed it. Now that he knew the truth, though, everything seemed different, like he was looking at it with new eyes. </p>
<p>The statue of Roku loomed over them. </p>
<p>"Zuko, we're connected. I know you have your whole life planned for you, but if I could interrupt that for a bit, I need your help." </p>
<p>Zuko wasn't exactly catching on. </p>
<p>"This was never supposed to happen. Something went wrong all those years ago. I was supposed to exist.” Aang dropped Zuko’s hand, or maybe he lost his grasp on the physical world. “This is your great grandfather, Avatar Roku. I was supposed to be the next one, but...” His words trailed off. “We’re the only ones who can bring this world to peace.”</p>
<p>Zuko examined the statue more thoroughly. “My great grandfather...” The statue was on a pedestal, so he reached up a bit to touch Roku’s stone arm. “What really happened to him?” </p>
<p>Aang looked at his feet. “I told you, this is him. Your other great grandfather, Sozin, preserved him here to keep the avatar cycle from continuing.” </p>
<p>“You mean he’s--”</p>
<p>“Still alive, yes.” Aang laughed, knowing full well that role was supposed to go to him; locked away for 100 years. That would probably be preferable to being trapped in a world where you’re not supposed to exist, though.</p>
<p>“So how am I supposed to help?” </p>
<p>Aang placed his hand over Zuko’s on the statue. “If we free him, he should be able to restore the balance. But,” he hesitated, and his hand slipped through Zuko’s again, “I think, to bring me back to where I’m supposed to be, this version of you will cease to exist.” His mouth curled into a smile, though. “I know we’ll meet again, years from now. It’ll be different versions of us, but it’ll still be us.” </p>
<p>Zuko could feel that Aang was telling the truth, however impossible it may seem. “I look forward to it, then.” </p>
<p>Zuko’s words seemed to stabilize Aang in the physical world, and he watched in excited horror as his eyes started to glow bright blue. </p>
<p>Then, Aang felt cold and heard the voices of two water benders. It had worked, and although he didn't remember it as much more than a dream, the first time he saw prince Zuko again face-to-face, there was a part of him that felt like they had met before.</p>
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